Kelso & Company Mergers and Acquisitions Summary

Private Equity Firm Profile

In the last 3 years, Kelso & Company has acquired 3 companies.

Kelso & Company’s most common sectors for investment aredistribution (11%) and business services (10%) . The Firm’s most common investment types include buyout (lbo, mbo, mbi) (42%) and secondary buyout (29%). In total, Kelso & Company has invested in 23 US states and 4 different countries. Its largest (disclosed) acquisition occurred in 2007 when it acquired Tervita for $3.5B.

The Firm’s most common exit type is trade sale (47%). Kelso & Company’s largest (disclosed) exit occurred in 2014 when it sold Wilton Re Holdings for $1.8B.

Join Mergr to view Kelso & Company’s full profile and discover more mega-sized private equity firm investors just like it.

M&A Summary

  • M&A Total Activity124
    • M&A Buy Activity77
    • M&A Sell Activity47
  • Total Sectors Invested 31
  • Total Countries Invested 4
  • M&A Buy/Sell Connections 48
  • M&A Advisors 18

Kelso & Company

299 Park Avenue, 30th Floor,
New York, New York 10171
United States
(212) 350-7700
www.kelso.com

Kelso & Company is a private equity and investment management firm that seeks control investments in middle-market companies operating primarily throughout the US. Sectors of interest include manufacturing, communications, media, distribution, service, consumer products, retail, healthcare, transportation, logistics, textiles, & apparel, chemicals, and energy. Kelso looks to align 'management's interest with those of investors' when considering opportunities. Kelso & Company was formed in 1971 and is based in New York City.


Investment Criteria

Sectors of Interest: Apparel/Textiles, Automotive, Beverages, Building Materials, Business Services, Chemicals, Communications, Consumer Products, Consumer Services, Defense, Distribution, Electronics, Energy Services and Equipment, Engineering, Environmental, Financial Services, Food, Healthcare Services, Information Technology, Insurance, Manufacturing, Marketing, Media, Medical Products, Metals/Mining, Oil/Gas Exploration, Packaging, Publishing, Restaurants, Retail, Software, Technology Hardware, Transportation

Target Transaction Types: Buyout (LBO, MBO, MBI), Divestiture, Going Private, Recapitalization, Secondary Buyout, Stake Purchase

Geographic Preferences: East US, Midwest US, South US, West US, Canada

Transaction Criteria Min Max
Target Revenue - -
Target EBITDA - -
Investment Size - -
Enterprise Value - -

M&A Summary

Buy vs Sell

Year ≤ '20 '21 '22 '23 '24 '25 T
Buy (1.4/yr) # 70 4 2 1 - - 77
vol $6.6B $6.6B
Sell (0.8/yr) # 43 4 - - - - 47
vol $6.2B $372M $6.6B
  124

Most Recent M&A

Company Date Value Type
Valenz Health 2023-06-21 - Secondary Buyout
Phoenix, Arizona · www.valenzhealth.com
Emtec, Inc. 2022-09-06 - Secondary Buyout
Jacksonville, Florida · www.emtecinc.com
Inovar Packaging Group LLC 2022-05-24 - Secondary Buyout
Dallas, Texas · www.inovarpackaging.com
Eacom Timber Corp. 2021-11-23 372M CAD Add-on Acquisition
Montreal, Quebec · www.eacom.ca
Newport Group, Inc. 2021-11-03 - Merger
Walnut Creek, California · www.newportgroup.com
Container Supply, Inc. 2021-06-30 - Buyout (LBO, MBO, MBI)
Oklahoma, Oklahoma · www.csiokc.com
Renfro Corp. 2021-06-09 - Secondary Buyout
Mount Airy, North Carolina · www.renfro.com
Nivel Parts & Manufacturing Co. LLC 2021-05-21 - Secondary Buyout
Jacksonville, Florida · www.nivelparts.com
Silver Spur Corp. 2021-05-14 - Secondary Buyout
Cerritos, California · www.silverspurcorp.com
C.L. Smith Co. 2021-05-04 - Buyout (LBO, MBO, MBI)
St. Louis, Missouri · www.clsmith.com
View All >>

Portfolio M&A

Company Acquired Add-On/Sale Date #
Emtec, Inc. 2022-09-06 Emtec - Oracle Services Division 2023-07-25 1
Jacksonville, Florida · www.emtecinc.com Jacksonville, Florida
Risk Strategies Co., Inc. 2015-10-20 First Insurance Group Ohio 2023-06-30 81
Boston, Massachusetts · www.risk-strategies.com Archbold, Ohio · www.firstinsurancegrp.com
Risk Strategies Co., Inc. 2015-10-20 Johnson Insurance Services LLC 2023-04-26 80
Boston, Massachusetts · www.risk-strategies.com , Wisconsin
Novvia Group 2020-12-01 J.F. Shelton Co. 2023-01-04 11
Atlanta, Georgia · www.novviagroup.com Kent, Washington · www.jfshelton.com
Emtec, Inc. 2022-09-06 Definition 6 LLC 2022-11-15 1
Jacksonville, Florida · www.emtecinc.com Atlanta, Georgia · www.definition6.com
Risk Strategies Co., Inc. 2015-10-20 Relation Education Services 2022-10-17 79
Boston, Massachusetts · www.risk-strategies.com Walnut Creek, California
Eagle Family Foods Group LLC 2015-11-02 General Mills, Inc. - Helper and Suddenly Salad Brands 2022-05-25 3
Orrville, Ohio · www.eaglefoods.com Minneapolis, Minnesota
J.S. Held LLC 2019-05-20 Ocean Tomo LLC 2022-03-30 9
Jericho, New York · www.jsheld.com Chicago, Illinois · www.oceantomo.com
Novvia Group 2020-12-01 Andicor Container Distribution 2022-02-10 10
Atlanta, Georgia · www.novviagroup.com Mississauga, Ontario
Premia Holdings Ltd. 2017-01-09 Premia Holdings (Europe) NV 2021-10-05 3
Hamilton, Bermuda · www.premiaholdings.com Hamilton, Bermuda

M&A by Sector

Sector Current # Value All-time # Value
Distribution 5 (24%) - 8 (10%) -
Business Services 2 (10%) - 7 (9%) 413M (6%)
Energy Services and Equipment - - 6 (8%) -
Oil/Gas Exploration - - 5 (6%) 625M (10%)
Insurance 3 (14%) 510M (46%) 5 (6%) 510M (8%)
Financial Services 1 (5%) 600M (54%) 4 (5%) 600M (9%)
Packaging 3 (14%) - 4 (5%) 330M (5%)
Information Technology 1 (5%) - 4 (5%) -
Automotive - - 3 (4%) -
Healthcare Services 2 (10%) - 3 (4%) -
Environmental - - 2 (3%) 3.5B (53%)
Construction - - 2 (3%) 380M (6%)
Apparel/Textiles 1 (5%) - 2 (3%) -
Food 1 (5%) - 2 (3%) -
Manufacturing - - 2 (3%) -
Media - - 2 (3%) -
Medical Products 1 (5%) - 2 (3%) -
Forest Products - - 1 (1%) 218M (3%)
Beverages - - 1 (1%) -
Building Materials - - 1 (1%) -
Consumer Products - - 1 (1%) -
Consumer Services 1 (5%) - 1 (1%) -
Defense - - 1 (1%) -
Electrical Equipment - - 1 (1%) -
Engineering - - 1 (1%) -
Metals/Mining - - 1 (1%) -
Publishing - - 1 (1%) -
Restaurants - - 1 (1%) -
Software - - 1 (1%) -
Technology Hardware - - 1 (1%) -
Transportation - - 1 (1%) -
Total 21 $1.1B 77 $6.6B

Acquisitions By Geo

State/Country Current # Value All-time # Value
United States 19 (90%) 600M (54%) 66 (86%) 1.7B (26%)
  Texas 3 (14%) 600M (54%) 10 (13%) 600M (9%)
  Georgia 3 (14%) - 9 (12%) 330M (5%)
  New York 1 (5%) - 8 (10%) -
  Florida 2 (10%) - 7 (9%) -
  California 2 (10%) - 7 (9%) -
  New Jersey 1 (5%) - 3 (4%) -
  Pennsylvania 2 (10%) - 2 (3%) -
  Ohio 1 (5%) - 2 (3%) -
  Missouri 1 (5%) - 2 (3%) -
  Illinois - - 2 (3%) 413M (6%)
  Connecticut - - 2 (3%) -
  Oklahoma 1 (5%) - 1 (1%) -
  Massachusetts 1 (5%) - 1 (1%) -
  Arizona 1 (5%) - 1 (1%) -
  Louisiana - - 1 (1%) 380M (6%)
  West Virginia - - 1 (1%) -
  Tennessee - - 1 (1%) -
  North Dakota - - 1 (1%) -
  North Carolina - - 1 (1%) -
  Nebraska - - 1 (1%) -
  Kansas - - 1 (1%) -
  Indiana - - 1 (1%) -
  Colorado - - 1 (1%) -
Canada - - 6 (8%) 4.3B (66%)
  Alberta - - 3 (4%) 4.1B (63%)
  Quebec - - 1 (1%) 218M (3%)
  Ontario - - 1 (1%) -
  British Columbia - - 1 (1%) -
Bermuda 2 (10%) 510M (46%) 3 (4%) 510M (8%)
Luxembourg - - 2 (3%) -
Domestic 19 (90%) 600M (54%) 66 (86%) 1.7B (26%)
Cross-border 2 (10%) 510M (46%) 11 (14%) 4.9B (74%)
Total 21 $1.1B 77 $6.6B

Acquisitions by Deal Type

Type Current # Value All-time # Value
Buyout (LBO, MBO, MBI) 5 (24%) 510M (46%) 32 (42%) 1.5B (24%)
Secondary Buyout 12 (57%) 600M (54%) 22 (29%) 980M (15%)
Growth Capital 1 (5%) - 6 (8%) -
Going Private 1 (5%) - 4 (5%) 4.0B (62%)
Stake Purchase - - 4 (5%) -
Divestiture 1 (5%) - 3 (4%) -
PIPE - - 2 (3%) -
Recapitalization 1 (5%) - 2 (3%) -
Joint Venture - - 1 (1%) -
Venture - - 1 (1%) -
Total 21 $1.1B 77 $6.6B

Exits by Deal Type

Type Total # Value
Trade Sale - Public Company 16 (34%) 4.5B (69%)
Secondary Sale 11 (23%) 1.8B (27%)
Trade Sale 8 (17%) 254M (4%)
IPO 7 (15%) -
Bankruptcy 2 (4%) -
Merger 2 (4%) -
Shut Down 1 (2%) -
Total 47 $6.6B

Top M&A Advisors

Financial Deals
Jefferies
 2
Credit Suisse Investment Banking
 2
Harris Williams & Co.
 1
Legal Deals
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
 18
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
 1
Stikeman Elliott LLP
 1

Deal Values

buy # Total
> $1B 1 $3.5B
$100M to $1B 7 $3.1B
TOTAL $6.6B
Largest Tervita Corp.
$3.5B (2007-11-19)
sell # Total
> $1B 3 $4.1B
$100M to $1B 7 $2.5B
TOTAL $6.6B
Largest Wilton Re Holdings Ltd.
$1.8B (2014-03-21)

M&A Connections

Deals
Acquired from
Investor(s)
31%
24 (31%)
Strategic(s)
4%
3 (4%)
Exited to
Investor(s)
30%
14 (30%)
Strategic(s)
51%
24 (51%)

Investor Summary

Investor Type

Private Equity Firm

Size

Mega

PE Assets

12.0B USD

Established

1971

Specialist/Generalist

Generalist

Leadership

Frank Nickell

Senior Advisory Partner

Phil Berney

Chairman

Christopher Collins

Co-CEO

Frank Loverro

Co-CEO

Joe Kopilak

Partner & CFO

 Subscribe to unlock this and 193,848
investor and company profiles

Sign-up today to get full access

  • check  Unlimited Searches
  • check  Unlimited Profile Views
  • check  Build and Export Lists of
    • PE Backed Companies
    • Direct Investors & Acquirers
    • Advisors
    • Deals
    • & More
1 Week Free Trial Learn More

What's Mergr?

We built Mergr to save people the arduous and time-consuming process of tracking when companies are bought, sold, and who currently owns them.

Every day, new opportunities emerge around M&A and we help professionals of all types comb through transactions, investors, and corporate acquirers via an easy-to-use web database that is accessible to anyone.

Try us for 1 week free today!

Mergr, the Easiest-to-Use PE and M&A DB

Key Benefits

  • Stay informed on events in your industry
  • M&A research that takes seconds (not all afternoon)
  • Better understand your customers and prospects
  • Discover active buyers (or sellers)
Search
  • 4.5K Private Equity Firms
  • 184K M&A Transactions
  • 189K Companies Involved in M&A
    (Buyer, Seller, or Target)
  • 3.5K M&A Advisors
    (Investment Banks and Law Firms)
  • 72K M&A Contacts
    (PE and M&A Advisors)

Ready to try?

Join FREE for 1 Week

No obligation. Cancel anytime.

Mergr

Product

Company

Legal